Arrow holder

ABSTRACT

An archery assembly for holding an arrow in a partially drawn position or a nocked position on a bowstring of a bow including an arrow gripping device attached to the bow and having a pair of strips integrally connected together at the ends to form one continuous strip and extend from a support attached to the bow. The strips are elastic along their entire length so that they may be stretched and wrapped around an arrow in an overlapping loop to grip the arrow while so wrapped to hold the arrow in position and to release the arrow upon longitudinal rearward movement of the arrow. A covering, preferably a plastic sheet, is disposed on the bow for engaging an arrow and the gripping device when wrapped around the arrow for reducing friction and noise. The support attaching the two strips to the bow has a metal plate adhesively secured to the bow.

United States Patent 1 Carella 14 1 July 29,1975

1 1 ARROW HOLDER [76] Inventor: Richard F. Carella, 35572 Strathcona, Mt. Clemens, Mich. 48043 22 Filed: Oct. 30, 1973 21 Appl. No.: 411,045

Primary ExaminerRichard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-William R. Browne Attorney, Agent, or Firm-McGlynn and Milton [57] ABSTRACT An archery assembly for holding an arrow in a partially drawn position or a nocked position on a bowstring of a bow including an arrow gripping device attached to the bow and having a pair of strips integrally connected together at the ends to form one continuous strip and extend from a support attached to the bow. The strips are elastic along their entire length so that they may be stretched and wrapped around an arrow in an overlapping loop to grip the arrow while so wrapped to hold the arrow in position and to release the arrow upon longitudinal rearward movement of the arrow. A covering, preferably a plastic sheet, is disposed on the bow for engaging an arrow and the gripping device when wrapped around the arrow for reducing friction and noise. The support attaching the two strips to the bow has a metal plate adhesively secured to the bow.

13 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures ARROW HOLDER This invention relates to an archery assembly and, more particularly, to such an assembly for holding an arrow in the nocked position on a bowstring of a bow. The nocked position is the shooting position of the arrow where its rear-notched end engages the bowstring.

Archery equipment is utilized in target practice and in hunting. In a hunting situation the arrow must be positioned so that it may be rapidly shot. Thus. the arrow is in the nocked position with its rear-notched end engaging the bowstring with the mid portion of the arrow resting upon an arrow rest on the bow. To maintain the arrow in such a position the archer must normally manually engage the mid portion of the arrow to retain it against the bow. To eliminate the requirement of manually retaining the arrow in position on the bow it is desirous that the arrow be automatically retained in engagement with the bow. It is also necessary, when utilizing any means for retaining the mid portion of an arrow against the bow so as to be in the shooting position, that such means be readily releasable when it is desired to shoot the arrow so that the path or trajectory of the arrow is in no way affected by the means retaining the arrow to the bow.

There had been means developed and utilized in archery for retaining the arrow against the bow or on a rest on the bow and in the shooting position. Many of the prior art devices are not entirely satisfactory because they are not positive holding because they primarily rely upon friction gripping and can inadvertently release the arrow. Additionally, the prior art devices frequently create friction and drag on the arrow shaft as the arrow is drawn to release the arrow shaft from the device. The prior art devices do not urge the arrow rearwardly while in the nocked position to maintain the rear of the arrow in firm engagement with the bowstring.

The inventor of the subject invention developed an assembly for holding an arrow in a nocked or fully drawn position, which prior art assembly is disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,606,875 granted Sept. 21, 1971 in the name of the inventor of the invention described and claimed herein. In that prior art assembly a rod is supported by the bow and extends in a direction parallel to the position of the arrow. Extending from the rod is a nonstretchable strap connected to a portion which is stretchable and having a circular member at the distal end whereby the strap may be wrapped around the arrow and the circular member placed upon the rod. The rod may extend rearwardly in which case the circular member will be moved off the rod as the arrow is drawn rearwardly or the rod may extend forwardly in which case the circular member will move off the rod after the arrow is drawn and released. When the circular member moves off the rod the strap unwraps and disengagcs itself from the arrow.

Although that prior art assembly functions very satisfactorily, the instant invention represents an improvement by providing the features of creating no arrow drag during release. it aids in the drawing of the arrow, it makes no noise during release. it creates a rearward force on the arrow so that the arrow nock will be urged against the bowstring. which allows snap shooting, and it is simpler and easier to attach to a bow. This is accomplished in the instant invention by providing a sup port means for attachment to a bow and including an arrow gripping means attached to the support means and being elastic along the length which is engageable with an arrow while being wrapped around an arrow for stretching while beingwrapped aroundan arrqws'o that the arrow gripping means may be simultaneously stretched and wrapped around ari arrow in 1an overlapping loop to grip the arrow whil e so wrappedand to release the arrow upon longitudinal movement of the arrow in the rearward direction during drawing thereof. In specific embodiment the gripping meansqcomprises a pair of strips extending from a support means attached to a bow and integrally unitedat the distal ends thereof witha knot at the distal ends and being elastic along their entire length. Other advantages of the present invention will readily appreciated as the same becomes better understood by reference to the following detail description when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein: v FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view 'of the ihstant invention; h R

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view of the preferred embodiment illustrated in FIG. I but without showing the arrow; v i FIG. 3 is a fragmentary view taken substantially along line 3-3 of FIG. 2; f

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view through the bow as sembly shown in FIG. 1 showing the arrow gripping means being wrapped around the arrow while the arrow is drawn slightly; and FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the arrow moved forwardly with the arrow gripping means wrapped about the arrow in an overlapping loop and gripping the arrow.

Referring now to the drawings, an archery assembly constructed in accordance with the instant invention is generally shown at 10. The archery assembly 10 holds an arrow 12 in a nocked position on a bowstring 14 of a bow 16. The bow 16 includes an arrow rest 18 upon which. the arrow rests or is supported when in the nocked position. The rear end of the arrow 12 has a bifurcated or notched end 20 which engages the bowstring 14 when in the nocked position illustrated in FIG. 1.

The archery assembly 10 includes a support means generally indicated at 22-and attached to the bow "16. The support means 22 of the archery assembly 10 includes arrow gripping means generally indicated at' 24 and attached to the support means 22.

The arrow gripping means 24 is elastic along a length thereof engageable I with the arrow 12 while being wrapped around the arrow l2 for stretching while being wrapped around the arrow 12 so that the arrow gripping means 24 maybe simultaneously stretched and wrapped around an'arrow in an overlapping loop, as shown in FIG. 5, to grip the arrow while so wrapped and to release the arrow upon longitudinal movement of the arrow in the rearward direction. I

More specifically, thearrow gripping means 24 comprises a pair of strips 26 and '26 extending from the support means. The strips 26 and 26' are defined by one integral strip and are therefore integrally united at the distal ends thereof. Furthermore, at the distal ends there is included an enlargement defined by a knot 28, the purpose of which will be described hereinafter. It will be appreciated that the strips 26 and'26' maybe 3 independent and tied together at the distal ends to form the knot 28. The strips 26 and '26 are elastic and stretchable along their entire lengths and are absent of any coveri'ng sothat the stretchableportion engages 26 and 26' are made the arrow 1 2. Preferably the strips of rubber or the like. I

' The support means 22 includes a metal plate 30 which is attached to the side of the bow 16. The plate 30 has an aperture therein with the periphery of the aperture forming an upwardly extending flange32 which extends through an opening in the ends of the strips 26 thin metal and is bendable so as to conform to the configuration of various bows to which it may be applied.

The support means 22 also includes a' resilient backing 34 which is a sponge-like material adhesively secured to the plate 30 and adhesively secured to the side of the bow 16 whereby the plate 30 is adhesively secured to the bow 16.

Additionally, a covering 36, preferably a plastic sheet such as Teflon, is disposed on the bow arrow support for engaging, the arrow 12 and particularly the strips 26 and 26' as they are wrapped around the arrow 12 for reducing friction and noise resulting from the strips 26 and 26' engaging the how 16. As will be appreciated, the bow 16 is normally of wood and if the strips 26 and 26' are of a material such as rubber, noise and friction would be generated as the strips 26 and 26 slide along the wooden surface of the bow 16; thus, the plastic sheet 36 reduces such friction and noise.

' simultaneously wrapped around the arrow 12 to the position shown in FIG. 4. Thereafter, the bowstring 14 is released so that the arrow 12 moves forwardly that onehalf to one inch to the position shown in FIG. where the strips 26 and 26' are disposed in an overlapping loop having an overlapped portion generally indicated at 40. At the overlapped portion 40 of the strips 26 and 26 the strips frictionally grip one another so that the distal ends of the strips 26 and 26' are prevented from unravelling or unwrapping from the arrow 12. However, should ,there be a tendency for the distal ends of the strips 26'and 26 to pull through the overlapped portion 40 of the overlapped loop of the strips 26 and 26', the knot 28 forms an enlargement for preventing the distal ends of the strips 26 and 26' from moving through the overlapped portion 40 of the overlapping loop to prevent the. strips 26 and 26 from unintentionally unwrapping when wrapped about the arrow 12. As the arrow 12 is drawn for shooting, it immediately and 26 and is bent over the opening in the strips to retain the strips thereto. In other words, the flange 32 forms arivot-like connection with the strips 26 and 26'. It will be appreciated, however, that various alternative -attaching means may be utilized. The plate 30 is of a moves through the position shown in FIG. 4 whereupon wrap from the arrow 12. In fact, an important feature is the use of two strips instead ofjust one because it has been found that one of the strips acts somewhat as a biasing means or spring to pull back or unwrap the other. In other words, it has been found that the strips 26 and 2 6 abet one another when unwrapping from the arrow 12 as the arrow 12 is drawn rearwardly from the position shown in FIG. 5 through the position shown in FIG. 4.

Of course, it will be appreciated that the strips 26 and 26 may be wrapped around the arrow 12 in either di rection although only one direction of wrapping has been illustrated and shown.

Another purpose of the knot 28 is to separate the strips 26 and 26 so that the two strips do not tend to stick together in the event that they are in the position shown in FlG. 5 for a long period of time. although as alluded to above, the two strips 26 and 26' may be integral without there being an enlargement at the ends thereof and still function satisfactorily.

As will be appreciated from the foregoing description, the important fea ure of the subject invention is the utilization of a length of material which is elastic along a length which is wrappable about an arrow whereby it may be wrapped around the arrow in an overlapping loop while simultaneously being stretched so as to firmly grip the arrow and hold it in position against the bow.

The invention has been describedin an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than ,as specifically described.

The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive property or privilege is claimed as defined as follows:

1; An archery assembly for holding an arrow in a nocked position on a bowstring of a bow and comprising support means for gripping an arrow and adapted for attachment to a bow, said support means including arrow gripping means having an exposed elastic surface strip stretched while being wrapped around an arrow in ov'erlapping convolutions engaging itself as an arrow is in a nocked position and to grip an arrow in the overlapping convolutions as an arrow is allowed to move forward and to release an arrow upon rearward longitudinal movement of an arrow, said support means further including means connected to said arrow gripping means and adapted to be secured to the handle area of a bow.

2'. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arrow gripping means is elastic and stretchable along its entire length.

3. An. assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arr ow gripping means includes an enlargement means for preventing the distal end of the arrow gripping means from moving through the overlapped portion of the overlapping loop to prevent the arrow gripping means from unintentional unwrapping when wrapped about an arrow. 7

support means includes a plate adapted for attachment to a bow.

II. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said support means includes a resilient backing on said plate. v

[2, An assembly as set forth in claim ll wherein said plate has an aperture therein'and'wherein theperiphery of said apertureforms an upwardly extending flange for retaining strips.

13. An assemblyas set forth in claim I0 wherein said plate is bendable.

* i i i 1 

1. An archery assembly for holding an arrow in a nocked position on a bowstring of a bow and comprising; support means for gripping an arrow and adapted for attachment to a bow, said support means including arrow gripping means having an exposed elastic surfact strip stretched while being wrapped around an arrow in overlapping convolutions engaging itself as an arrow is in a nocked position and to grip an arrow in the overlapping convolutions as an arrow is allowed to move forward and to release an arrow upon rearward longitudinal movement of an arrow, said support means further including means connected to said arrow gripping means and adapted to be secured to the handle area of a bow.
 2. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arrow gripping means is elastic and stretchable along its entire length.
 3. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arrow gripping means includes an enlargement means for preventing the distal end of the arrow gripping means from moving through the overlapped portion of the overlapping loop to prevent the arrow gripping means from unintentional unwrapping when wrapped about an arrow.
 4. An assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein said englargement means comprises a knot in said arrow gripping means.
 5. An assembly as set forth in claim 1 wherein said arrow gripping means comprises a pair of strips.
 6. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said strips are integrally united to form one continuous strip.
 7. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 including a knot formed in said strip.
 8. An assembly as set forth in claim 5 wherein said strips are elastic and stretchable along their entire lengths and are absent of any covering.
 9. An assembly as set forth in claim 8 wherein said strips are integrally united to form one continuous strip.
 10. An assembly as set forth in claim 9 wherein said support means includes a plate adapted for attachment to a bow.
 11. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said support means includes a resilient backing on said plate.
 12. An assembly as set forth in claim 11 wherein said plate has an aperture therein and wherein the periphery of said aperture forms an upwardly extending flange for retaining said strips.
 13. An assembly as set forth in claim 10 wherein said plate is bendable. 